Let me proclaim my stinky armpits cure!!!

[ScreenPrinting]

Honestly the amount of clothes I’ve ruined over the years, I could weep (yes, silk tuxedo jacket, I’m thinking of you…)

I have NEVER been able to keep my pits pong-free. I have been a proper soap user for years, I have tried so many anti perspirants, deodorants, you name it. I’ve tried natural and hardcore brands. I’ve used Dettol in the washing machine, special freshening fabric sprays, scrubbed clothes with bicarb… STILL, every summer, most of my clothes have ended up with a horrible musty pong that never quite goes away.

well, drum roll please, because today is two days in a row that I have been out and about ALL day in muggy, sweaty London… and I have, on both days, taken off my dress at the end of the day… to ZERO smell. I mean ZERO. My DH just gave my armpits s quick sniff (for research purposes) and confirmed: ZERO smell.

So this is my v simple solution (and maybe everyone else on the planet knew this before, but nobody ever told me!!)

1 DETTOL soap in the shower
2 SCRUB pits with scrubby gloves
3 Mitchum creamy-stick triple defence antiperspirant deodorant, I’ve used Powder Fresh scent

ta-da!!!

I think it needs all three steps. But I do think the scrubby gloves part is the game changer. It’s been getting better and better since I discovered this particular antiperspirant, but the exfoliation stage has taken it from almost no smell to NO SMELL.

Did everyone know this except me?!?

it’s why I’ve posted: to share my new found wisdom. I hope it helps someone else!

Sorry if already mentioned not RTFT but sometimes sweat odours can be caused by certain foods. I see someone mentioned coffee. Dairy is another one, I'm sure there's others too.

soooo I’ve been experimenting a bit after starting this thread and can definitely confirm that it’s the exfoliating/Dettol soap that’s the game changer.

today (VERY hot and sticky here) I did the exfoliate/Dettol BUT used my Wild deodorant rather than Mitchum anti perspirant… I have sweated, obviously, but I am smelling fresh!!!

i would still DEFINITELY use the Mitchum on a v busy day/night out but I’m thinking I should be ok with my Wild deodorant on a normal day, without worrying that I’m ruining yet another top that (despite all the tips and tricks) I can NEVER get musty pongs totally out of!!! Prevention is much better for me, and it looks like it’s the exfoliate/anti bacterial soap combo that works for me.

Thanks everyone, and I hope the sweaty feet people find a solution too! My DD’s feet drip with sweat (I think she probably has hyperhidrosis) so I am following…

That's interesting! My dh never smells. He doesn't even use deodorant!

Ok, PIXI (glycolic acid toner) update.
Well, I’m gobsmacked !!!
It’s very warm where I live today, plus I’ve cleaned upstairs and down/stripped washed and remade the beds, and it’s worked ! Very little, if any BO, far far less smelly than when I use Mitchum.

I had to work up to regular use, a few days in a row gave me a bit of irritation. But think the effect builds up too as less, sorry… residue, I guess.

Very useful contributions on this thread and congratulations to OP for winning!

I wonder if, over the recent couple of years, antiperspirants have something different in them which leaves this layer of substance despite washing and this traps the bacteria causing the unpleasant smell. Essentially it doesn't fully wash of.

I've noticed my antiperspirant stopped working properly over the last two years or so. I do miss Vaseline cream antiperspirants (the mushroom shaped tubes) terribly and I have no idea how long ago they disappeared. All varieties of Nivea roll ons have always always worked for me in the past.

Of course there could be other reasons but it coincides with a variety of changes in availability of different brands, formula changes and so on.

I've only ever used roll on antiperspirants, always, always only used plain basic soap. I excluded IPL hair removal as a potential cause, on the basis that I did that years ago and the weird smell is relatively recent.
Difficult to describe it but like a herby sharp smell. I don't like it.

With a healthy fairly bland diet, I did wonder if coffee might be the culprit and I can see this has been mentioned already so there might be something there.

Glycolic acid does solve the problem short term, so it goes back to what sits on the skin. I really don't like the idea of using it regularly.

I'll try sage tea - it is supposed to help with excessive perspiration so maybe it will help with the smell problem as a PP kindly suggested. Not to be taken if pregnant or breastfeeding!

I just want a permanent solution and not temporary fix with glycolic acid.

I tried a variety of alternatives, Mitchum is awful for me, Dove and all others make no difference, Vichy, Clarins the same, mens products didn't appear to help either.

I found that the sharp smell was coming from between my boobs, so I use the liquid talc. Why I actually need is a good old Playtex bra to lift and separate !

I wish it was a solution for me - no issue there (yet!) but probably only because my bust is too small. I win and loose in this department 😂

I wonder if, over the recent couple of years, antiperspirants have something different in them which leaves this layer of substance despite washing and this traps the bacteria causing the unpleasant smell. Essentially it doesn't fully wash of.

until a few years ago most contained alkohol. which is a disinfectant and also makes antiperspirant/deodorant dry quicker. but it's quite harsh on skin, edpecially freshly shaved.

Trust anti-odorant is amazing, in a tiny little blue topped tub. I use this last thing at night after a shower, you rub it in (no soreness ever as it's natural) and then in the morning I just use a quick squirt of Sure/Mitchum and boom no sweating. Never smells and doesn't make you sweat in other places instead. A tub lasts a few months and is worth every penny. I found it about it on another MN thread and would love to thank the person who recommended it. I'm a big girl that sweats.. it's a game changer.

Just looked at the Trust and it looks good. Will try it.

@Nojumpingorrunning me too re groin. So unpleasant and embarrassing. I have no solution unfortunately. The dr suggested beta blockers which I didn't feel easy about and they didn't work. It mainly seems an issue in very hot summer or, more often, when I am under stress at work. She suggested Botox is something that is another solution but I would have no idea where to go to get that.I can't imagine that would be nhs-provided in the current climate but I could hardly just pop in to the local beauticians could I! In the meantime I use a bit of gold bond body powder.

Sweaty groin is awful, my knickers are actually wet with sweat 😕

Occasionally I rub anti bac hand gel under my armpits before I shower. It seems to kill the bacterias which helps.

Occasionally I rub anti bac hand gel under my armpits before I shower. It seems to kill the bacterias which helps.

You have to make sure that your armpits are bone dry before you apply it.
Then, make sure that you don't work up a sweat once its applied because yes it burns if your armpits are wet.

They were dry, and no I wasn’t sweating

That would make sense as I'm plant based and eat a lot of veggies and spices

So today I scrubbed with Dettol soap , used the black pitrock crystal and then put a good covering of talc free baby powder. That was it, nothing smelly at all.

I did only wfh today but completely dry at bedtime and more importantly do not smell even slightly.

Am commuting into Central London tomorrow so will see how that goes.

Once I've settled into this a bit more so you reckon can swap the Dettol soap for just a normal soap? I really try and steer clear of antibacterials unless totally necessary